“Corbyn Creates New Dedicated ‘Minister for Mental Health’”

Newly elected UK Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has appointed Luciana Berger to his shadow cabinet as the “Minister for Mental Health,” a new position that has no counterpart in the Conservative government. The Independent reports that Corbyn has devoted considerable attention to mental health policy. He was recently criticized in the press for attending an NHS mental health event in lieu of a BBC talk show. Last February, Corbyn said in a speech to parliament that he dreams of the day when the UK will become more accepting of mental health issues, recognize the possibility of recovery, and allocate disability resources appropriately.

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I can’t really tell what Corbyn has in mind. It sounds like he is against bigotry about our issues, but what would he have the health service do?

In 1985, when he was Mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Bernie Sanders spoke at our last Conference on Human Rights and Psychiatric Oppression, so I think he understands the human rights issues. But I am not clear now either what kind of “mental health” interventions he would support.

I do have a sense that both Corbyn and Sanders have good gut feelings about it though, in that I am sure both of them see us labelled people as human beings to be respected.

I agree entirely. He seems to be respectful and compassionate, but I have a horrible suspicion that he would want more of the mainstream medical model. The prevailing progressive view is that people with mental health problems are drastically undeserved and that we need more services and more ‘interventions’. This is reflected in the view that mental health should be accorded parity with physical health.

I think the key thing here is to make sure he gets lobbied by the right epople. I believe this guy has heart in the right place but many people get duped into believing psychiatry’s propaganda about “helping people with serious mental illness”. That’s why it’d be good if psychiatric survivors tried to get a foot in the door and provide him with a different perspective. Which is in general true for all the left weaning progressive politicians, including Sanders in the US. We can’t expect them to read our minds when almost the only message out there is the one generated by the corrupt system mascarading as advocacy.

“Mr Corbyn said at the time that he believed access to ‘timely and appropriate’ treatment was the biggest issue for mental healthcare, alongside the recognition of mental disabilities by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Definitely depressing. The “straight” left just doesn’t get it as usual. Education of the left is one of our main challenges and unless it is accomplished we don’t have a real good chance of succeeding at much in the near future.